Cornus controversa Pagoda - Giant Dogwood

Cornus controversa 'Pagoda' bears a layered habit that perfectly lives up to this cultivar's name. This dogwood, one of the largest in its genus, forms a true small tree with branches arranged perfectly horizontally, forming even more pronounced and flattened tiers than in the typical species. It is adorned with glossy foliage and in summer is covered with snowy, fragrant masses, followed by blue-black and shiny fruits. Its foliage takes on stunning colours in autumn before falling. A dogwood full of elegance and majesty, to be planted as a specimen.

Cornus controversa is a small tree originating from China, Korea, and Japan. It simultaneously develops a vertical stem and layered, horizontal branches, slowly reaching an average height of 12 m (39.4 ft) with a spread of 7 m to 8 m (23 ft to 26.2 ft). The cultivar 'Pagoda' displays particularly layered architecture. Its young reddish twigs are covered with green, highly veined, glossy foliage, with the underside being lighter, greyish to bluish. It is the only dogwood, along with Cornus alternifolia, to have alternate leaves rather than opposite. They are elliptical, ovate, with a pointed tip, and have about 8 parallel veins, measuring 10 cm (3.9 in) in length. The foliage turns dark red in October and remains vibrant on the tree before falling. While it is magnificent at the end of the season, its flowering from May to June in flat white cymes is highly ornamental. The large fragrant clusters they form, measuring 10 cm to 15 cm (3.9 in to 5.9 in) in diameter, illuminate the tree while highlighting its unique habit. The flowering is followed by dark blue-black berries, 1 cm (0.4 in) in diameter.

'Pagoda' deserves to be planted as a specimen on a short grass lawn. Its moderate growth is suitable for medium-sized spaces. It can obviously be used in Japanese-inspired scenes where it will blend perfectly with the small Acer palmatum 'Dissectum', Rhododendron yakushimanum, or Pieris japonica 'Forest Flame'. The perennials that accompany it will also appreciate moist, slightly acidic soils. In the sun, its base can be covered with Lithodora diffusa, which offers intense blue flowers, and in partial shade, heucheras and astilbes will fulfil this function perfectly. In a more minimalist style, its striking visual qualities will work in combination with very simple materials such as concrete or metal, as well as with grasses like Calamagrostis x acutiflora, Helictotrichon sempervirens, Carex comans 'Bronze'. At its base, a fern with an upright habit like Matteucia struthiopteris will create a beautiful contrast with the horizontal nature of our small tree.